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[vodkabeforenoon.livejournal.com]

Comments

[wind-shadow2008.livejournal.com]

I agree. After all, to continue with the previous comparison, alcoholics don't have "Alcoholic Pride" rallies. The trouble is, while there are people who are overweight due to laziness/poor choices/etc., it's unfair to categorize ALL obese people in this singular category. My specific issue is over the first cartoon (I think the other two fall into the mock-able category you described).

[housedog.livejournal.com]

I actually wouldn't continue the previous comparison, because alcoholism and drinking and driving have nothing to do with obesity or its consequences. There are no "Alcoholic Pride" rallies for the same reason why there are no "Heroin Pride" rallies--because alcohol addiction is an awful, often lethal thing to experience. Driving intoxicated is a crime that takes the lives of far too many every year. There's nothing to celebrate here.

Obesity is different. There are Fat Pride rallies because people who are overweight can and do live happy, healthy lives. And there are myriad social, economic, genetic, and cultural variables that contribute to obesity, which again, these rallies raise awareness of. And there is this tremendous stigma in our culture against the overweight and these rallies help overcome that.

There is nothing wrong with giving people a reason to feel beautiful about themselves and their size. There is nothing wrong with being supportive of people who want to feel good about themselves as they are. There is nothing wrong with kindness or broadening one's world view to include icons of beauty that don't match your own.

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Keef was a smack addict for many years. Didn't kill him, nor did it prevent him from doing his best work. He functioned well despite his addiction.
Keef could have had a heroin pride rally all by himself. As could have more than a few addicts after WWII, all of whom got the addiction through over-medication during combat, and many of whom had productive lives.

[torylltales.livejournal.com]

I would argue that there IS something wrong with encouraging people (and their children!) to consume multiple times their nutritional requirements, the bulk of it in refined sugars, salt and processed fats. I would say there IS something wrong with encouraging people to not try to lose weight when they are clearly and obviously overweight.

There is a massive difference, of course, with people who have various medical/genetic conditions that make it impossible to maintain a healthy weight, but i have very little sympathy for people who choose to eat themselves into an early grave.

[vodkabeforenoon.livejournal.com]

Basically this. I really don't understand why people bring up that some have medical issues. No one is highlighting those people when these cartoons are posted. It is about the people who make a choice to consume more energy then they expend.

[unnamed525.livejournal.com]

After all, to continue with the previous comparison, alcoholics don't have "Alcoholic Pride" rallies.

Yes there are. They're called "St. Patrick's Day" parades.